Resolution 454-1997
Board of County Commissioners
RESOLUTION NO.
454
-1997
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE
COUNTY, FLORIDA, CONFIRMING AND IMPLEMENTING THE VOTE OF THE
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AT ITS NOVEMBER 12, 1997, MEETING
TO REMOVE BETTYE CHAPLIN FROM HER APPOINTED POSITION AS A
PLANNING COMMISSIONER, BASED UPON THE DETERMINATION THAT CAUSE
EXISTS FOR HER REMOVAL
WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners received and considered a report
prepared by the Monroe County Attorney's Office, which included findings of an
investigation conducted to ascertain whether cause existed for the removal of Bettye
Chaplin from her position as a Planning Commissioner; and
WHEREAS, at the request of Bettye Chaplin's attorney, the. Board of County
Commissioners has disregarded and excluded from its decision-making process, any
comment or evidence attributed to an anonymous source; and
WHEREAS, Bettye Chaplin, although given an opportunity to address~p? @ar~f '1
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County Commissioners, elected not to speak and did not dispute the truth ~ ~Ef}ac:itt)al .~
allegations contained in the County Attorney's report,' and g ~) c" en .g
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WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners has previously, by resoll.rllon, offir~d g
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its commitment to and respect for the exercise of free speech; however, ~e Boar~f
County Commissioners determines there are facts set forth in the report which establish
cause for Bettye Chaplin 's removal and which are not within the ambit of constitutionally-
protected speech; and
WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners has considered the conduct of
Planning Commissioner, Bettye Chaplin, and has found it to be inconsistent with the
requiremenfs of the office of Planning Commissioner, including the quasi-judicial duties of
that office; and
WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners has determined that the harassment
and intimidation of members of the public and County staff is inappropriate conduct; now,
therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY,
FLORIDA:
Section 1.
That the foregoing recitations are approved and adopted by the
Board of County Commissioners.
Section 2. That cause has been shown to exist for the removal of Bettye Chaplin
from the Planning Commission.
Section 3. That Bettye Chaplin is hereby removed from the Planning Commission.
Section 4. That the position of District 1 Planning Commissioner is hereby declared
vacant.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County,
Florida, at a special meeting of said Board held on the 21st day of November, 1997.
Mayor Jack London
Mayor Pro Tem Wilhelmina Harvey
Commissioner Keith Douglass
Commissioner Shirley Freeman
. COJl-\{f\issioner Mary Kay Reich
yes
yes
yes
aosent
absent
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(SEAL) ~...~ i
Attest: DANNY L. KOLHAGE, Clerk
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
OF MON E COUNTY, FLORIDA
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BYs:1~C. ~J~
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Deputy Clerk
jreschaplin
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